Agenda and minutes

None at this meeting.

Change of Membership on the Committee

The Committee noted that following changes to the cabinet portfolios at the County Council membership of the Committee had changed and Pat Corfield, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Customers, had been appointed vice Ben Adams.  Mr. Corfield was welcomed to the meeting and, as apologies had been received from Mrs Hazel Lyth (Chairman), was appointed Chairman for the meeting.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2010 be agreed and signed by the Chairman.

Following changes to the Cabinet Portfolios at the County Council membership of the Committee has changed and Pat Corfield, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Customers, has been appointed vice Ben Adams

Following changes to the cabinet portfolios at the County Council membership of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Archive Committee had changed and Ben Adams (Vice-Chairman) had been replaced by Pat Corfield, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Customers.

RESOLVED – That Mr. Pat Corfield be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Archives Committee up to the annual meeting of the Joint Committee in 2011.

Joint report of the Director for Place and Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Adult and Neighbourhood Services

The Committee considered a joint report  of the Director for Place and Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Adult and Neighbourhood Services detailing the predicted outturn against the targets set in Joint Archive Service’s Annual Implementation Plan for 2010 - 2011.

The Annual Implementation Plan sets the annual targets for the performance of Joint Archive Service.  These targets work towards the overall achievement of the Archive Service's current three-year service objectives, which were set out in its current Forward Plan, 2009-2012. Members noted that the Archive Service had made good progress against its targets. 

The Archive Service was now required to submit its annual Implementation Plan and to report on performance against it as part of The National Archives (TNA) Assessment of Local Authority Archive Services. Performance against the planned targets was scored accordingly by TNA.

The year 2010-2011 had seen good progress against the individual targets set in the Archive Service Implementation Plan and positive performance in all areas of activity. The Committee noted the Implementation Plan was on target to be completed with no major shortfalls.  They also noted the following main areas of good performance for 2010/11 arranged under the current service objectives for 2009 to 2012 included: (a) to put the customer at the heart of service delivery; (b) to build upon our innovative online presence; (c) to engage with Staffordshire’s communities to strengthen their sense of identity and place; (d) to engage people of all ages in activities which celebrate and discover Staffordshire’s history; (e) maintain and improve service efficiency, impact and quality; (f) to improve and promote user access to collections; and (g) deliver high quality care of collections.

Members noted that the new outstore was due for completion on 11 March 2011.  Following a question from a Member regarding fire safety, the Head of Archive Services confirmed that the outstore been fitted with a high sensitive smoke detection system (HSSD).  They also noted that the cultural heritage of Staffordshire was being especially promoted leading up to the 2012 Olympics including: the second phase of International Staffordshire, a major online exhibition to mark the 2012 Olympics and an exhibition of the Service’s Anglo Saxon charters.  In answer to a question the Head of Archive services said that she hoped to see an archive presence on the Mercian Trail.  Members also received details of the new digital archive repository, which was a significant piece of work for the service.

RESOLVED – that the report be received as a record of the predicted performance of the Joint Archive Service for the year ending 31 March 2011.

Joint report of the Director of Finance and Resources and the City Director of Central Services

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Finance and Resources and the City Director of Finance detailing the current predicted outturn for 2010/11 for the Joint Archive Service and to consider the budget position for 2011/12.

Members noted that the latest revenue outturn forecast showed an anticipated underspend of £29,474 at the end of the financial year.  The current balance on the General Reserve was £115,344 of which £80,000 had already been earmarked for alterations and environmental controls at Stoke and adaptations for the new outstore.

The Committee were asked to approve the earmarking of £12,000 towards:- (i) costs associated with the staffing reductions in 2011/12 (£9,000); and (ii) exhibition costs (£3,000), arising from the production of a complementary exhibition by the Archive Service to support the Staffordshire Hoard exhibition and other related events in Stafford in July 2011.

The Archive Acquisition Reserve had a balance of £65,859 towards the purchase of new collections.

Members noted that the proposed revenue budget for 2011/12 of £607,086 has reduced when compared to the estimate for the current year due to the implementation of the new financial arrangements in the revised Joint Archives Agreement, approved by the Joint Archives Committee at its meeting on 22 November 2010, and a plannedreduction in the level of service opening hours at Stoke on Trent City Archives.  The proposed revenue budget would be funded by the County Council (77.56%) and the City Council (22.44%) and these percentages reflect the respective population levels of the two authorities at June 2009.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received.

(b) That the sum of £12,000 be earmarked from the General Reserve to cover; costs associated with staffing reductions in 2011/12; and exhibition costs arising from the production of a complementary exhibition to support the Staffordshire Hoard exhibition and other related events in Stafford in July 2011.

(c) That the revenue budget proposed for 2011/12 be approved and submitted to the County Council and the City Council for consideration.

Joint report of the Director for Place and Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Adult and Neighbourhood Services

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Place and Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Adult and Neighbourhood Services detailing the successful outcome of the recent assessment of the Joint Archive Service against the Customer Service Excellence Standard (this replaced the Charter Mark quality standard in 2008) and to consider the ongoing commitment of the Joint Archive Service to maintaining the Standard.

The Joint Archive Service was externally assessed against the Customer Service Excellence Standard in December 2010. As a result of this assessment, the Service was judged to meet the Standard and awarded the Standard in January 2011.   Members noted the five main criteria, and that the Joint Archive Service achieved full compliance in 55 out of a further 57 sub-criteria for the Standard.  This was a major achievement and marks a continuous record of achievement by the Joint Archive Service in standards of excellence in public service, which had resulted in a series of successive awards and external recognition between 1998 and 2008. 

RESOLVED – (a) That the award of the Customer Service Excellence Standard to the Joint Archive Service in January 2011 be noted.

(b) That the Joint Committee endorses the continuing commitment of the Joint Archive Service to Customer Service Excellence.

RESOLVED – that the next meeting of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Archive Committee be held on Thursday 16 June 2011 at the County Record Office, Eastgate Street, Stafford.